Nigerian adopts 112 as emergency number nationwide

The National Economic Council (NEC) chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima has endorsed 112 as Nigeria’s unified national emergency number to better coordinate response to disasters and security incidents across the country.

Also approved by the council at its 157th meeting held virtually was the establishment of a multi-agency implementation committee to be jointly coordinated by the Office of the Vice President and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

The committee will drive the rollout and standardisation of the emergency response system nationwide.

Shettima explained that the adoption of Number 112 was aimed at eliminating bureaucratic delays in emergencies.

“This is not only a technical reform. It is a test of the state’s humanity. In moments of fire, accident, robbery, medical emergency, flood, violence or panic, citizens do not need bureaucracy. They need a response,” said Shettima.

According to a statement by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications (Office of the Vice President), Stanley Nkwocha, Shettima noted that while the 112 emergency number already exists, the priority now is to ensure proper coordination, institutional ownership, public awareness and trust in the system.

The Vice President described NEC as the country’s economic engine room and urged federal and state governments to translate the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu into outcomes that directly impact citizens.

“History will not ask how many meetings we held. It will ask what changed because we met,” he said, calling for decisions that would positively affect Nigerians across all sectors.

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NEC also directed the Federal Ministry of Finance to expedite the release of approved funds for the rehabilitation of police training institutions nationwide.

The directive followed a presentation by an ad hoc committee led by Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State.

NEC irged the committee to ensure equitable national spread by covering institutions across all geopolitical zones in the first phase.

On public health, the council ratified the expansion of its ad hoc committee on polio eradication to include seven additional high-risk states–Jigawa, Kaduna, Bauchi, Niger, Yobe, Borno and Adamawa.

It also received updates on vaccination efforts, assuring that a second batch of 12 states would commence immunisation from Saturday as part of intensified efforts to eradicate the disease.

In the culture and tourism sector, NEC approved a request for states to contribute N200 million each towards the implementation of the Renewed Hope Cultural Project and Naija Season, a national initiative aimed at promoting Nigeria’s cultural assets and tourism potential.

NEC was informed that the initiative could generate up to one million jobs by 2030, boost diaspora inflows and enhance Nigeria’s global cultural footprint.

The council also reviewed progress on the National Industrial Policy (2025), which targets key sectors such as agro-allied industries, solid minerals, oil and gas, pharmaceuticals and manufacturing clusters to drive export-oriented growth.

It noted that the Nigeria Industrial Cluster Programme has the potential to generate $2.74 billion in revenue over 25 years.

NEC also received updates on the country’s financial buffers, with balances in the Excess Crude Account standing at $535,823.39; Stabilisation Account, N72.84 billion, and Natural Resources Account, N158.19 billion as of April 27, 2026.

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